Minggu, 08 September 2013

PhD studentship in Corpus Linguistics/ Applied Linguistics at King's College London and The University of Birmingham from September 2013-2016

The research project 'People, products, pests and pets: the discursive representation of animals' (Leverhulme) will run at King's College London and The University of Birmingham from September 2013-2016.

The PhD student will use corpus analytic techniques to investigate ways in which animals have been represented in English discourse in the previous two centuries. This research will entail the collection and analysis of a diachronic corpus of texts, working in liaison with the project team and under the supervision of Dr Alison Sealey and Dr Mel Evans. Potential topics include: the language used in wildlife broadcasts from the earliest examples to 2000; newspaper reports featuring stories about wild / domestic / farmed animals 1800 – 2000; archival texts from organisations represented in the main project, such as the RSPCA, from its inception in 1824 to 2000.

Informal enquiries are welcome and can be made to Dr Alison Sealeya.j.sealey@bham.ac.uk , project Co-Investigator.

Applicants should apply directly to Dr Alison Sealey via email. The successful candidate will be asked to apply formally to the University’s Graduate School after selection.

Qualifications: you will have very good undergraduate and Master’s degrees in relevant disciplines, e.g. English Language, Applied Linguistics, Corpus Linguistics. Only applicants who are not already reading for a PhD are eligible for this studentship.

Application: Send hard and electronic copies of the documents listed below to Dr Alison Sealey, Department of English, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston B15 2TT by 27th September 2013

1. CV including your undergraduate and MA/M.Phil educational history with degree and exam results, and any awards; special skills or experience (e.g. language proficiency, other relevant expertise); and publications (if any).2. Covering letter one A4 side only, describing your preparation and qualification for, and interest in, this studentship.3. A sample of your post-graduate academic writing (up to 3000 words), or a short academic publication.4. A proposal of not more than 2000 words, outlining the PhD research you would undertake within the parameters of the Birmingham studentship for this project as described in the summary.

In addition, you need to supply two letters of reference, one of which should be from a tutor on your post-graduate course, preferably your dissertation supervisor. Ask your referees to send their letters directly by email to a.j.sealey@bham.ac.uk 27th September 2013.

Interviews will be conducted as soon as possible after the closing date, in Edgbaston, Birmingham.